Historically, security alarm systems have relied upon the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to connect an alarm system to a central alarm monitoring station, so that alarm event data may be communicated from the alarm system to the central alarm monitoring station. These conventional alarm systems are configured to place an audio-band voice call to the central alarm monitoring station and transmit alarm event data to the central alarm monitoring station using (DTMF) touch tone codes, for example. Alarm systems equipped with two-way voice or ambient sound listening functionality have relied upon the same PSTN connection to connect a two-way audio-band voice call between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring station. In this manner, an agent at the central alarm monitoring station is able to listen to ambient sounds captured by microphones at the premises where the alarm system is installed via the audio-band voice call. Similarly, the voice of the agent is communicated via the audio-band voice call and amplified by speakers and associated circuitry of the alarm system.
Some alarm systems substitute wireless radio communications services, such as cellular radiotelephone service, for the PSTN. In these systems, both alarm event data and voice are communicated over a two-way audio-band voice channel between the alarm system and the central alarm monitoring system using the cellular radiotelephone service. Other alarm systems substitute Voice over IP (VoIP) communications services for the PSTN. These systems also communicate both alarm event data and voice over a two-way audio-band voice channel established using the VoIP service.
It is noted that, for conventional alarm systems equipped with two-way voice functionality, a two-way voice channel may be automatically and/or necessarily established upon the occurrence of every alarm event. That is, the voice channel is established by the alarm system regardless of the type of the alarm event or any other considerations. Especially for alarm systems that substitute cellular radiotelephone service for the PSTN, costs associated with establishing and maintaining the voice channel are high.
Further, while conventional alarm systems are configured to establish and maintain a voice channel upon the occurrence of every alarm event, flexibility is lost, because the necessity to establish and maintain the voice channel is not evaluated by any means. In some systems, a service provider of alarm system monitoring services may have no ability to modify the configuration of monitored alarm systems, for example, if subscribers desire to terminate two-way voice monitoring services for lower costs.
The present invention is directed to addressing the deficiencies of the above-discussed conventional systems and methods by efficiently delivering alarm system event data and audio over hybrid telecommunications networks.